1 00:00:02,690 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,140 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: topic is about healing from the wounds of betrayal. We 4 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:37,500 Speaker 1: will return after a brief message from our sponsor. Healing 5 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,820 Speaker 1: the Wounds of Betrayal Written by Aaron D. Anthony Brown 6 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:46,450 Speaker 1: Read by Rochelle Alberti Bible Reading Now it is not 7 00:00:46,530 --> 00:00:49,390 Speaker 1: an enemy who insults me, otherwise I could bear it. 8 00:00:50,050 --> 00:00:52,170 Speaker 1: It is not a foe who rises up against me, 9 00:00:52,750 --> 00:00:55,650 Speaker 1: otherwise I could hide from him. But it is you, 10 00:00:55,670 --> 00:00:59,150 Speaker 1: a man who is my peer, my companion and good friend. 11 00:01:00,030 --> 00:01:02,790 Speaker 1: We used to have close fellowship. We walked with the 12 00:01:02,810 --> 00:01:08,220 Speaker 1: crowd into the house of God. Psalms 45, 12-14, CSB 13 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,819 Speaker 1: We all have that experience of watching a show or 14 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,380 Speaker 1: a movie where the hero gets betrayed by someone he 15 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,090 Speaker 1: never expected. Like the protagonist, we feel a sense of anger, hurt, 16 00:01:20,330 --> 00:01:23,569 Speaker 1: and fear for what comes next. The greater the stakes, 17 00:01:23,990 --> 00:01:27,670 Speaker 1: the more we emotionally respond as viewers. And in those 18 00:01:27,790 --> 00:01:30,709 Speaker 1: instances where we know what's about to happen, but the 19 00:01:30,770 --> 00:01:34,380 Speaker 1: hero doesn't, there's a dramatic irony on top of all that. 20 00:01:37,850 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: In fiction, betrayals are hardly ever expected. In real life, 21 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: even less so. There's something quite profound when we experience 22 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,059 Speaker 1: such a hardship firsthand. They catch us off guard and 23 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: leave us with pains that feel indelible. Many of us 24 00:01:58,620 --> 00:02:01,460 Speaker 1: know the sting of a friend turning their back, a 25 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:05,490 Speaker 1: cheating spouse, a co-worker who did something devious to get ahead. 26 00:02:06,870 --> 00:02:09,709 Speaker 1: If God is the author of our lives, then nothing 27 00:02:09,910 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: catches Him by surprise. Still, these things happen. God allows 28 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,260 Speaker 1: them to, which can be painful in and of itself. 29 00:02:19,419 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: Certainly we've asked God why. Certainly we wish to turn 30 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,490 Speaker 1: back time. If only we could prevent ourselves from getting 31 00:02:26,590 --> 00:02:32,790 Speaker 1: hurt by doing something different. But that's not possible. What happened? happened. 32 00:02:33,669 --> 00:02:36,370 Speaker 1: Now we have to pick up the broken pieces and recover. 33 00:02:37,490 --> 00:02:40,790 Speaker 1: So how do we heal those wounds left behind by betrayal? 34 00:02:42,330 --> 00:02:46,609 Speaker 1: Intersecting faith and life. Here are a few, but not all, 35 00:02:46,990 --> 00:02:51,610 Speaker 1: of the ways we can heal the wounds left by betrayal. Forgive. 36 00:02:53,050 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: Healing starts with forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean the relationship 37 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 1: will restart, nor does it mean you move on without boundaries. 38 00:03:02,570 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: Forgiveness simply means you won't live your life dwelling on 39 00:03:06,180 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: someone's wrongful deeds. Remember, God forgives those who forgive. Matthew 6, 40 00:03:12,660 --> 00:03:18,900 Speaker 1: 14-15 So forgive. We might tell ourselves we've forgiven, but 41 00:03:19,020 --> 00:03:21,820 Speaker 1: how much do we dwell on the hurt? Are you 42 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:25,669 Speaker 1: constantly reminding yourself of what happened, or talking about it 43 00:03:25,710 --> 00:03:29,730 Speaker 1: with others? If so, you might need to re-examine whether 44 00:03:29,750 --> 00:03:36,020 Speaker 1: or not you have truly forgiven. Trust God. Psalm 55 45 00:03:36,020 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: is not only well written, but quite informative in that 46 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: David presents readers with a problem and a ready solution. 47 00:03:43,580 --> 00:03:46,860 Speaker 1: He casts his burden on the Lord, praying for justice 48 00:03:47,100 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: and that evil would reap a rightful end. Psalm 55, 22. 49 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,420 Speaker 1: This is a reminder for us to seek God for 50 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: strength when the unimaginable becomes a painful reality. We can 51 00:03:59,220 --> 00:04:02,690 Speaker 1: pray that He would enact justice. We should also pray 52 00:04:02,830 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: that He would take care of us, too, helping us 53 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: grow from the experience, learn, and hopefully never fall into 54 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: such hardship again. Keep moving forward. There are so many 55 00:04:15,260 --> 00:04:19,410 Speaker 1: questions we ask after our betrayal. Most of them are unhelpful. 56 00:04:20,130 --> 00:04:22,630 Speaker 1: We shouldn't wonder if God will bring them back, or 57 00:04:22,670 --> 00:04:25,089 Speaker 1: if they are maturing, or if they will ever apologize. 58 00:04:25,650 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: The truth is that you don't know, and you won't 59 00:04:28,980 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: know until you know, if ever. Instead, keep moving forward. 60 00:04:35,260 --> 00:04:37,570 Speaker 1: Trust God to work in their life as He works 61 00:04:37,630 --> 00:04:41,450 Speaker 1: in your own. Give the situation to Him and continue 62 00:04:41,510 --> 00:04:45,450 Speaker 1: to live. Betrayal may mean the end of a relationship, 63 00:04:45,990 --> 00:04:48,330 Speaker 1: but you still have so much more to live for 64 00:04:48,610 --> 00:04:52,500 Speaker 1: and to look forward to. Remember, healing is not a 65 00:04:52,779 --> 00:04:56,339 Speaker 1: one and done affair. Sometimes we have to try various 66 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:01,020 Speaker 1: strategies time and time again. That's to be expected. What 67 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,010 Speaker 1: you shouldn't do is give up. Yes, what happened in 68 00:05:05,050 --> 00:05:08,860 Speaker 1: the past hurt, and it may still hurt now, but 69 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:14,540 Speaker 1: the past does not predict the future. Further reading, Job 4, 70 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:30,190 Speaker 1: Job 42, 7-9, Psalm 13, Psalm 55, Psalm 56. If 71 00:05:30,230 --> 00:05:32,810 Speaker 1: you're looking to grow in prayer or start your day 72 00:05:32,850 --> 00:05:34,670 Speaker 1: with your heart focused on the right things, search for 73 00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:36,969 Speaker 1: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app and be 74 00:05:36,990 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: sure to follow the show so you get a new 75 00:06:01,110 --> 00:06:03,830 Speaker 1: prayer delivered straight to you each morning.